106 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal [N.S., XIII. 



deh, probably his brother, and after him a son of Khusrau 

 II, who had escaped murder, named Khurrazad Khusrau, 

 of whom we possess a coin which is dated from the second 

 year; so that he must have reigned shortly before and after 

 the New Year's day, 16th June 632 (Noeldeke, Gesch. d. Per- 

 ser XXVIII). Thus between the death of Khusrau II on the 

 29th of February, 628, and the advent of Yezdegerd III, from 

 whom the era of Yezdegerd is dated 16th June 632, there 

 reigned twelve persons and during this chaos the lance thrusts 

 of the Arabs threatened the gates of the Empire." 



It seems clear that Khorezad- Khusrau and Ferrukhzad- 

 Khusrau are the names of one and the same person. There is a 

 great deal of confusion between the words "ferrukh" and 

 11 khore," both having the meaning of " Majesty *' and em- 

 ployed for designating the king. For this confusion see Noel- 

 deke, Tabari, pp. 292 and 395; Guidi, Syrische Chronik, 1893 ? 

 p. 24; Justi, ISamenbuch, p. 97; and Hubschmann, Iranica 

 inZ.D.M G , 1893, p. 622. 



Khorezad- Khusrau was a son of Khusrau Par viz. He 

 reigned for a short time before and after the 16th June 632, and 

 was slain in the second half of 632 or the first half of 633. 



I think I am not far wrong in concluding from the his- 

 tory of this period that more than one sovereign ruled simulta- 

 neously in different capitals, set up by the contending factions. 

 This state of things has perhaps led to the confusing nature of 

 the dates. In order that some idea may be formed I place 

 before those who would interest themselves in the pursuit, a 

 certain amount of materials collected for my own use, which 

 have a special bearing on this period, but which circumstances 

 make it impossible for me to utilize immediately to the full. 



Description of the Coin. 



Metal— Silver. 

 Weight— 645 grains. 



Size— Oval, 1H**1tV- 

 Date— Two. 



Mint — Nihch. 



Obverse.— The bust of king to right, wearing a crown 

 adorned with two wings and surmounted by a crescent and star. 

 The hair of the head is brought behind and arranged in a clus- 

 ter of locks. The face is that of a boy without the slightest 

 trace of moustache or beard, having in the ear a triple pendant 

 of pearls. Round the neck, a pearl necklace having two 

 pendant pearls in front and two strings of pearls reaching 

 below the bust. The dress is adorned with a crescent and star 

 on each shoulder. In the Held over both shoulders float a Sas- 

 sanian fillet and a crescent over the left shoulder near the 

 chin. Between the crown and the wing behind the head is » 



